The present invention relates generally to document management and more specifically to access and dissemination of collections of multimedia documents.
Despite the ideal of a paperless environment that the popularization of computers had promised, paper continues to dominate the office landscape. Ironically, the computer itself has been a major contributing source of paper proliferation. The computer simplifies the task of document composition, and thus has enabled even greater numbers of publishers. The computer promotes individual expression through the use of graphics tools, image capture devices, image enhancement tools, and so on, in addition to traditional text editing. Oftentimes, documents must be shared among colleagues, thus generating even more paper.
Despite advances in technology, suitable personal output devices as a practical substitute for paper remains to be developed. Personal data assistants (PDAs such as Palm Pilot® by 3 Comm, Inc., and similar hand held devices) typically do not have the storage capacity, the processing capacity, the display capacity, or the connectivity to effectively present documents to the user in a convenient and useful manner. Unlike paper, devices such as PDAs are not universal. While many document formats exist for representing information, not all devices have all the software needed to read all documents. Worse yet, PDA documents typically use formats that are not readily available on a desktop or laptop PC. Usually, documents have to be converted between formats. Paper remains the simplest way in many situations for storing information (e.g., record keeping), distributing information, and controlling access to information.
Paper has been an integral component of civilization for thousands of years. Its replacement is not likely to occur soon, if ever, despite the ubiquity of computer-based technology. Electronic information almost invariably is reduced, at least in part, to paper. Perhaps then, the role of the computer is not to achieve a paperless society. Instead, the role of the computer may be as a tool to reduce the amount of paperwork; i.e., to achieve a “less paper” environment rather than a paperless environment. Generally, there is a need to use computers to more effectively share information and to provide access to that information. In addition, the information should not be limited to any particular mode of expression, allowing for all forms of communication media.